Dr. Nicole Rau | Dunlap, Illinois
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Associate Program Director for Pediatrics Residency, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
Dr. Nicole Rau always wanted to be a doctor. She shares, “I remember being six years old and telling my Girl Scout leader that I wanted to be a pediatrician. A lot of hard work and many years later, that dream came true.” Now, Dr. Rau is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and a clinical Neonatologist at OSF/Children’s Hospital of Illinois. She is also the Associate Program Director for the Pediatric Residency at OSF/Children’s Hospital of Illinois.
Dr. Manu Sood nominated Rau and writes, “Dr. Rau is a compassionate human being who provides excellent clinical care to our community. She is an avid advocate for her patients and underserved communities of central Illinois.”
Dr. Rau holds a Doctorate of Medicine from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee where she also completed her pediatric residency and neonatology fellowship. She has a Masters of Science in Health Professions Education from Rosalind Franklin University.
Dr. Rau is particularly passionate about giving back to her community by serving on the board of the Ronald McDonald House charities. She explains, “I believe deeply in their mission of keeping families together. In this way, I can help support the whole family of the babies I have the privilege to care for in the NICU. As a community, we are so lucky to have this organization and I am so proud of the work they do everyday.”
Leadership Insights:
“A great leader is someone who listens first and seeks to understand. They actively seek out opinions different from their own and recognize that conflict is an opportunity to come to the best possible solution to a problem. They take the time to learn how the people they are leading feel appreciated and they use this knowledge to support them in reaching their goals. They aren't afraid to say they don't know or they were wrong.”
As many medical professionals and students can relate, Dr. Rau recognized a healthy balance between her work and home life as one of the greatest challenges she faces. “Learning how to stop and think about opportunities and to say no to them if needed has been difficult. I’m not perfect, but as I’ve gotten better at that I have also gotten better at protecting time for my family.” On her way to mastering that balance, Dr. Rau and her family enjoy the many parks and trails scattered around central Illinois, and being outside whenever possible.
Words of Wisdom:
“…Relax and have a little more fun along the way. I was very driven as a college student who was trying to get into medical school and that often meant I traded fun with friends for studying. Looking back, I wish I had found a better balance between the two.”